I reviewed the book, Naked Conversations by Robert Scoble and Shel Israel this week for WPSU's Bookmark show. Here's the text:
The title of this book is Naked Conversations. But in their first sentence, the authors--Robert Scoble and Shel Israel -- are quick to assure us, this book is NOT about two middle-aged guys talking in the nude. Naked Conversations is about how blogs are changing the way businesses talk with their customers.
Some people think of a blog as a personal diary. The authors see blogs as conversations . . . and blog entries as conversation starters. They call blogs "Naked" conversations because they are the result of instant publishing, spelling mistakes and all.
Let me back up a little...
A blog is a simple concept. It's a personal web site, with the new stuff displayed first -- new posts are at the top of the page rather than at the bottom. That doesn't sound very revolutionary, but blogs are having a profound effect on everything from publishing to public relations, and from politics to broadcast news.
The first part of the book is rich in examples . . . like the English tailor who uses a blog to sell more of his hand-made suits. Then there's the one-man kitchen accessories company run by its blogging founder. Both men demonstrate their passion and increase their visibility through blogging.
If blogs make small companies look bigger, they can also make large companies seem more accessible. Scoble should know. He was a pioneering blogger at Microsoft. In a chapter called, "The Souls of the Borg," Scoble contends that stereotype of the "Microserf" (or oppressed IT worker) went by the wayside as Microsoft employees began to blog. It's hard to view a large company as a monolith when individual workers are talking about what excites them about their jobs. The authors say, if your company encourages you to blog, find out the ground rules first. Don't wait till right before you get fired.
This book is pitched to business bloggers, but it's full of tips that can any blogger can use. The authors contrast bad or "lame" blogs with some of the best and give us "eleven rules for better blogging." My favorite rules are "Demonstrate passion," and "Show your authority." The best blogs are by people who write about what they love and what they know. Another good tip? "Read a bunch of blogs before you start."
I enjoy books that make me re-examine what I believe to be true. As a long-time blogger (if you can say such a thing), I now see blogs as naked conversations rather than personal digests. My approach to both my blogging and the blogosphere has changed. Why not pick up a copy of Naked Conversations and start your own?
